Altogether Autism

Teacher Only Day  21. 8. 20

Autism / ASD

Presenter: Sanam Bagherian from Altogether Autism

BACKGROUND:    Clinical Psychology

Ph.D. Austism

Altogether Autism is based in Hamilton.

Trusted autism information and advice in New Zealand.

Advice is available.

What is Autism?

• Children born with autism
• Lifelong condition 
• think differently
• behave differently

Autism?

Spectrum?

Disorder?

Takiwātanga (in his and her own time and space) Māori worldview.

Criteria for the diagnosis of autism

Social communication

and social interaction

Restricted and Repetitive thinking, behaviour and Sensory

Severity rating

Level 1. requiring

Level 2. requiring substantial support

Level 3. requiring very substantial support

Asperger's labels are now all called "Autism"

The average age for diagnosis for boys - early childhood and for girls early teens (13yrs).

Executive Functioning?

Executive function skills are the mental processes that enable us to organize, plan, remember instructions, understand complex or abstract concepts, and deal with change. These processes are also responsible for inhibition of actions and impulse control.

Challenges related to EF difficulties

• not being able to follow multiple instructions
• being organised
• understanding the consequences of different actions
• completing a task
• impulsive reactions
• repetitive actions
• differentiating fiction from fact

We don't rely on the memory of Autistic persons - sometimes visual cues can be helpful with their processing, self-regulating, and moving to the next step.

Autism and anxiety

• 75% of children and 50% of adults with autism experience intense anxiety.
• Anxiety can lead to:
• lack of engagement in activities
• Avoidance of new situations
• Lack of friendships/relationships
• misunderstood and seen as 'difficult'
• 
  

(noise-canceling headphones)

Strategies for Anxiety

• identify key stressors
• quiet/low stimulation spaces available
• keep your voice quiet and tone calm
• teach self-calming strategies
• build on strengths
• limit choices
• break cards - show us when things are getting out of hands
• sensory box

Strategies for Anxiety

•  5 colours of stress level

Meltdown or Tantrum

Tantrum

• driven by want or a goal
• will check if you are watching
• aware of surroundings
• in control of behaviours
• will stop when the person gets their way
• won't hurt

Meltdown

• overwhelmed 
• loss of control
• unaware of own safety and surroundings. Could hurt themselves
• trying to escape or withdraw
• a medical event not a behaviour

Build Up

Build up Strategies

• intervene early
• introduce a break
• switch the staff (change of state)
• provide a safe, cool down space
• provide a physical outlet - bouncing on the tramp, squeezing a stress ball, tearing up paper
• remain calm and quiet - be aware of body posture and tone of voice, remain nearby but necessarily

Meltdown strategies

• protect everyone
• use as few words as possible
• protect dignity/mana of the child
• prompt the child to their safe place
• have an exit strategy
• prevent power struggle - you will not win

Recovery Stage strategies.   Five R's

• relax
• reconnect 
• reflect
• recharge
• re-prepare

Reframing the behaviour

Behaviour = communication

If a person can't easily communicate using verbal language, what is the quickest/easiest tool available to them to communicate their needs/wants or to avoid something they don't want?

-use a break card

Sensory Sensitivity

Our central nervous (brain) processes all the sensory information we receive.

This helps us to organize, prioritise and understand the information

we then respond to the information we receive through our senses in an appropriate way. e.g. blinking to bright light

many (but not at all) people with autism have difficulty processing information. This can be called Sensory processing difficulties or Sensory Sensitivity

Interoception

Stimming

Communication

Non-verbal does not mean that they have nothing to say. It means you will need to listen to me with more than just our ears.

Impact of communication difficulties

• relationship difficulties
• often seen as rude
• hard to support people when we do not know what they are thinking
• easily misunderstood
• problem behaviours use to communicate
• frustration

Strategies for communication

• make sure you have a person's attention
• avoid complicated instructions
• keep your language polite, clear, and factual without being patronising.
• allow the person enough time to process
• supplement verbal instruction with visual information (hands to offer choices)
• have important conversations in a quiet area
• profile books

Benefits of visual Supports

Social stories

Video Self-modelling

Recap

Te Kowhara Dialogue with Ngahuia

WERO

Create your own dialogue/script between 2 or more people with the use of - mihimihi (greetings) - pātai (questions) - kare ā-roto (emotions / feelings) - tūwāhi (location words) - poroporoaki (farewells). - Kīwaha - submit a copy of your script and a video/recording of you saying your script to this assignment. Āe, you can do this in pairs or individually. I’ve attached some examples from other groups to help you or pages 34 - 48 of your Māori Made Easy Book 1 show what your script should look like. If you have any pātai, please comment on this thread. Kia rawe te whakatā, e te whānau! Nā Ngahuia

Te Kowhara - Tikanga Reo with Jarred

Check out the lesson Ready to Read Texts on Tes Teach

Check out the lesson Ready to Read Texts on Tes Teach: Check out the lesson Ready to Read Texts on Tes Teach

Mentor Teacher Development 2020

Facilitator: Beth

Ehara taku toa, he takitahi he toa takitini

My success should not be bestowed onto me alone, as it was not individual success but the success of the collective.

By the end of the session mentors will:

• Have an understanding of the roles and requirements of mentor teachers and PCT's (Provisionally Certificated Teachers)
• know what is involved in creating a high-quality mentoring program
• be familiar with resources provided to mentor teachers by the Teaching Council

Teaching Council induction-and-mentoring

High-quality induction programmes are comprehensive, educative and evaluative. p9 Guidelines for Induction 

It is about building the teaching profession and ensuring teachers are part of a learning community focused on continually improving the learning outcomes of all their ākonga.

COMPREHENSIVE A comprehensive induction programme has many elements and is conducted over a sustained period. For PCTs, this is at least two years. No single intervention is enough to create high-quality induction. A comprehensive induction programme includes: 

• welcoming and introducing a new teacher to the context in which they will work
• ongoing professional development and support from a range of sources
• access to external professional networks
• high quality educative mentoring
• standards-based, evidence-informed evaluations of professional practice against the Practising Teacher Criteria. 
• A comprehensive induction programme should not be undertaken in isolation. It requires employers, leaders, the school, Kura or ECE professional learning community, and the wider profession to be engaged.

EDUCATIVE The induction programme is a key opportunity and time for intensive, sustained professional learning. An induction programme should not be focused on progressing through a standard checklist of requirements. Instead, induction should be focused on enabling PCTs to learn and practise the skills, attitudes and attributes they need to become accomplished, fully certificated teachers who can improve the learning outcomes of diverse ākonga.

EVALUATIVE An induction and mentoring programme provides an opportunity for formative and progressive feedback to the PCT on their professional learning as well as leading to a final assessment of whether the PCT is ready to hold a full practising certificate. This means records must be kept of: 

• activities that occur as part of the induction programme, the feedback and support provided to the PCT, and the PCT’s own reflection and learning

• evidence of the PCT’s progress towards meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria.

Remind PCTs that the process and evidence are about them.

Collecting evidence is essential and their responsibility.

Mentors toolbox:

• Observations
• professional learning goals
• Examples of planning
• Examples of their work with students
• Evidence of their reflections
• dated notes of regular meetings
• PL or PD notes and reflections
• What's changed in their thinking and their practice
• Evidence of the use of release time (really important)

That PCT release time is not theirs alone. 

It is for both mentor and PCT. eg. analyze student data

For second-year release, time should not be used for planning.

Tip: Notability app for recording meetings, observations etc

(Most mentors at this PL are doing 1 observation per term with their PCT) That is not enough.

Observations: should be formal or informal. Next steps... that will come from observations.

An interview with Professor Sharon Feiman-Nemser from Brandeis University Massachusetts. (video TC site) Videos

RELATIONSHIP-BASED A mentor should be able to work comfortably and supportively in a co-constructive relationship with the PCT. Mentor teachers require professional development and support to advance their relational skills.

Mentors need to:

• build a trusting relationship
• get to know your PCT
• know when to be structured and when to let them fly.
• observe the performance and take that performance apart.
• constructive feedback

Appraisal

Evidence that shows you participated in an appraisal system using the Standards (However your school approaches the Standards)

Evidence should be measured against the Standards - keeping evidence well documented.

Thinking about Evidence

Analysis Tool II: necessary and sufficient p4

Sufficient gathering of evidence in any form eg. modelling books

An anecdotal record-keeping is a good piece of evidence.

Eg. what are the PCTs doing and changing to improve their practice or what are they doing to improve students outcomes.

When doing an observation think about the questions and answers the PCTs use in their lessons.

Te Ahu o te reo Māori Noho Marae

Te Kowhara Group

                     

At Waikato-Tainui College for Research and Development, Hopuhopu

Te Rekamauroa is the name of the programme significant to Tainui and is delivered by Pūkenga who have acquired the sets of skills and mātauranga to ensure quality in what Kaiako learn. The content is based around Waikato/Tainui dialect, Te Kīngitanga, local history and traditions.

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori ki Tainui – Te Rekamauroa aims to develop Kaiako capabilities in:

• The use of te reo Māori within early childhood centres, kōhanga reo,      school or kura,
• Incorporate cultural narratives in their school’s practice, and
• Create rōpū/groups of teachers who are able to support one another.

Delivery overview

• Delivered by TupuOra Education and Development Ltd
• Delivers Taumata/Level 1 and 2 of Ngā Taumata o Te Ahu o te Reo Māori.

Delivery approach

The main goal set about by TupuOra is to inspire and invigorate teachers –whakahihiri to want to speak and teach te reo Māori by creating an atmosphere that is relaxed, built on trust and most importantly fun, enabling Kaiako to practice and utilise their reo abilities in a safe space where they can develop and grow their skills.

Additionally, the programme is unique in the way it has been contextualised specifically to teachers, and the application of te reo Māori within the classroom.  Accordingly, part of the learning within Te Rekamauroa requires Kaiako to prepare lesson plans that incorporate te reo Māori within their practice.  Observations are also offered as part of Te Rekaumauroa, by the Pūkenga, and upon request by Kaiako wishing to engage follow-up support within their specific kura and/or classroom. 

Reflection

Great weekend of learning, sharing and practice. The Pukenga were teacher-friendly and made the whole experience worthwhile. They took out the pre-conceived fears and anxiety many had on arrival. As the weekend progressed many teachers shared their relief and willingness to take risks - "Giving it a go". We were all on this journey together.  I loved the fact that I actually knew a lot more than I thought I did. Taumata 2 was the right level. Somethings I had to give some careful thought but overall I thought I could manage well. It was great having Catherine and Monika alongside. Together we were able to fill in the gaps for each other.

Awesome accommodation. The view was amazing and the food was never-ending. 

Jess is an amazing Project Manager. Her ability to organise and meet the demands of 140 teachers is a real skill. Jess has People Power! I was very proud of her.

Reading Sheena Cameron & Louise Dempsey 2020

A Balanced Reading Programme - reviewing the approaches with Sheena Cameron & Louise Dempsy

29.01.20

Explicit Reading at all levels is very important.
Reading is not about managing lots of activities.

Explicit acts of teaching are the most important.

• Dedicated reading time
• reading across the curriculum making those cross-curriculum links.
• Develop phonic knowledge
• Reading for pleasure is super important. 
• Reading to support writing eg reinforcing sentences and the purpose of dialogue
• Reading to learn

The Development of reading skills and strategies:
Developing a love of reading
Developing oral language and vocabulary

Digging deeper into the text????

Teaching the reading process: p2 workbook

• decoding around the comprehension strategies
• critical literacy is a focus (time for talk)
• teach conversation prompts

> Talk topics in Oral Language book

Infer it

Cracking the code - using all the visual information including phonics available to you. Phonics- Chunking - Analogy

• really good to teach our children with Rhyme 
• teach suffixes and prefixes
• and base words
• base words - a powerful way for spelling for reading

A Balanced reading programme

Modelled rdg - model the reading, explicit reading, what good readers do

Shared rdg - model the reading, explicit reading

Guided rdg - processing the text, decoding 

Reading to Students

Reading and listening comprehension important.

Book: Wolf Girl ... into the wild by ANH DO

Why do we read to students?

for Talk and engagement

for enjoyment

for learning

for developing imagination and creativity

to extend their world

Shared Reading

Teach shared reading regularly and make time for TALK.

• Use a variety of texts
• Explicitly model decoding and comprehension
• Allows children to engage in quality reading discussions
• Shifts the focus in guided reading from teaching new skills and strategies to practising them

songs: Stan Walker 

• reading the words to songs and discussing

Website: KIDSNEWS

Possible Structure for a series of 4 x 15 - 20

reading sessions during a week:

Focus 1

• activating prior knowledge
• predicting
• new vocabulary
• text structure and organisation
• author's purpose

Shared reading senior-level Year 4

The Lion Witch and the wardrobe

... using a T-chart on a whiteboard 

Guided Reading

Think about what things are important:

40 min session - 10mins with  see 2 to 3 groups a day

( 4 or 5 reading groups is achievable)

6 or fewer children in a reading group

Be realistic

• Guided reading is only one component of a balanced reading programme - we don't have to teach everything to everyone
• It's not about finishing the text at higher levels
• Make time for talk
• Quality of quantity

Planning and assessing progress

• (read the book before guided reading)
• Flexible approach to grouping (think a little different about grouping students) 
• limit the number of learning goals (1 or 2 goals for a group e.g )
• Quality over quantity ( linking goals)
• Plan generic follow-up activities (it is not necessary to give reading groups follow-up activities all the time.)
• levelled goals for guided reading groups  page 124

Modelling Books

One book per group

Have goal sheet to start with

Ideas

Record Tricky words from the text (use a whiteboard)

Record questions for a guided session

Record teaching points. Keep notes about tricky bits

Reading Session

Introduction: 

• Activate prior knowledge
• Predicting
• New vocabulary  (put into modelling book)
• Tricky concepts/ideas

Students don't :

• DON"T read in unison
• DON"T 'round robin' read (read one page each out loud to the group) it interrupts meaning. Give children chunks to read.

read 2 pages and review.

Teacher tip: post-it's

Independent reading

Teaching children the tools they will need is important. 

Set and establish routines and How to's!

more: independent activities

Book Club - a group activity
Readers theatre - whole class activities

Independent Reading  p178

Write three reading goals you can share with your students:

• Read 3 chapter books for the term 
• Read a short story on Seesaw
• Create a short video about a book
• Create a reading memory

Shared Reading

I would like to develop Readers Theatre!